On Martyrs Day, Arman recalls Dr. John Garang ‘the liberator

(Juba NSV)  – Today is the official day when the fallen heroes and heroines of South Sudan’s liberation struggles are commemorated. This July 30^th is especially sacred as it marks the first after the Republic of South Sudan achieved Independence early this month.On Friday, the Lost Boys (Jesh-El-Amer) held a thanksgiving occasion at Nyakuron Cultural Centre. The Lost Boys used the eve of Martyrs Day to pay tribute to those who educated and helped them during their flight as unaccompanied minors in Ethiopia and other camps, by presenting awards.

Yesterday morning, the former Lost Boys marked the occasion with singing of Jesh-El-Amer songs. They drove in packed pick-up trucks.

President Kiir decreed July 30^th as a public holiday in 2007 in remembrance of South Sudanese martyrs.

For former SPLA Commander, and Secretary General of the SPLM North, Mr. Yasir Said Arman, the day will always bring back fresh memories of the last war, which ended with a peace agreement in 2005.  Arman was one of the first northerners to fight alongside the SPLA since its inception in May 16, 1983.

From that experience, he recalls “dear memory of hundreds of comrades” who died in the war.

“They educated us, they meant a lot to us,” he said.

In his interview with The New Sudan Vision yesterday, Arman lauded his late boss and comrade, Dr Garang. He touted him as “engineer of politics of liberation.”

“Garang was a man of vision, mission, a man of wider outlook,” he said.  He said he would visit Garang’s Mausoleum today to pay him his respects.

July 30^th was the day when Garang’s helicopter tragically killed him near New Site, on his way back from Uganda in 2005.

Garang’s immense contributions as long time rebel leader of the SPLM/SPLA and architect of the 2005 peace agreement earned him the title, “Founding Father of South Sudan.”

The Republic of South Sudan has recognized the late SPLM leader by printing his picture in its currency, South Sudanese Pound.

While Garang is no longer here in body, continued Arman, his vision was still alive. He said the South needed Garang’s vision to forge a cohesive but diverse nation. He also urged the South to “take the towns to the villages” as Dr. Garang advocated.

On July 9^th, 2011 Arman was one of the thousands of spectators who witnessed the lowering of the old Sudanese flag, and saw the hoisting of the flag of the New South.  Arman, who has always campaigned for “voluntary unity” said it was a sad day, but the two areas were still one. He took solace in the two sovereign states sharing the name “Sudan.”

“Garang will remain a unifying factor” for the two Sudans, he added. He said the regime in Khartoum was a “spent force,” saying it’s “not gonna take forever.” When NCP’s gone, perhaps history will take a different course, he hopes.

A staunch panafricanist who believes in the coming together of Africa as one, Arman optimistically declared that “Sudan will be united again,” but on a voluntary basis, he was quick to add.

For Arman whose life-long battle of seeing the country united in an equal basis has come to naught with the breakaway of the South this month, his memory shifts back to his late comrade, whose new Sudan call attracted him in the first place.

Garang was the “bridge between the north and the south,” he said.